Haulage apparatus for mining machines



Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet l c0 w 9 L a A =1 m 0 o W I n venior .r/k/m/ Comm 5/WO0LAttorneys Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL A 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 2'7, 1949 I7 HUUUUWWUUUUULULU Attorney s 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL HAULAGEAPPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet (5 Filed April 2'7, 1949 mmm 00 mm B NIL EOE Wm, mm 2 Inventor Ja/m/ Com [1 674 004 A I I I AAttorney;

Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1949 4Sheets-Sheet 4 F/GS.

Inventor [fa/w Gwyn/[ 67%01/4 Attorneys Patented Jan. 1, 1952 HAULAGEAPPARATUS FOR- IVIININ G MACHINES John Connel Sproul, Glasgw, Sc0tland,assignor to Mavor & Coulson land , Limited, Glasgow, Scot- ApplicationApril 27, 1949, Serial No. 90,028

I In Great Britain March 25, 1946 7 Claims. (Cl. 254-135) This inventionrelates to haulage apparatus for machines for mining coal and otherminerals, such for instance as coal cutters, which travel by means of ahaulage rope as they move along the face of the mineral seam.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved gripper for amining machine haulage rope, said gripper having jaws that exercise thegripping action under the constraint of a toggle mechanism which acts totighten the grip with increase in the tension of the rope in onedirection and to relieve the grip in the opposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved haulageassembly for use with a mining machine haulage rope, said assemblycomprising a pair of grippers which are adapted to grip the ropealternately and a power unit which moves one of the grippersback-and-forth relatively to the other gripper in time with thealternate periods of movement and stoppage in the travel of the machine,each gripper automatically releasing the rope as the other grips it.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved haulageassembly for a mining machine, said assembly comprising rope grippersadapted to act alternately upon a haulage rope and a reciprocating powerunit adapted to ime part working strokes to the machine, one of thegrippers engaging the rope during each working stroke to provide anabutment against which the power unit reacts to advance the machine andthe other gripper engaging the rope to maintain it taut Whilst the powerunit forces the firstmentioned gripper to free itself and return inorder to take a fresh grip of the rope. The movable gripper of a pairmay be called the working gripper. and the other may be called the stopgripper.

According to the invention, in order to comply with practicalrequirements, the gripper or grippers is or are reversible; that is tosay, the grippers can each be set in one or other of two positionsrespectively to suit opposite directions of travelin relation to therope.

The power unit preferably comprises a hydraulic cylinder-and-ram unit,one component of said unit being secured to the machine or other supportand the other component being secured to the Working gripper or rope.Such a unit may be designed to impart a heavy force. at slow speedduring the working stroke and a lighter force at quicker speed duringthe return stroke- The invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 isan elevation, with parts, broken away, of a coal-mining machineto which the invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a plan corresponding toFig.

1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, the section being on the line3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation drawn to a larger scale of a gripper incorporatedin the haulage assembly with which the machine is equipped. Fig. 5 is anelevation to a still larger scale of components of the gripper shown ina position diiferent from the Fig. 4 position. Fig. 6 shows a toggle ofthe form incorporated in each gripper. Fig. 7 is a section of the samegripper on the line ll of Fig. 4 and Fig. 8 is a corresponding endelevation of the gripper showing its cover opened.

The coal-mining machine to which the invention is shown applied by wayof example belongs to a previously proposed kind having a set ofcoplanar cutters IO, H, l2 and I3 which function like large chisels withtheir edges all in the same vertical plane A (Fig. 2). These cuttersinclude an intermediate cutter Hi which projects far ahead of the othersto plough out a preliminary furrow in the coal seam B, and this cutteris associated with upper and lower cutters H, which are provided on thesame heavy cutter head l4. This head also carries top and bottom cuttersl2 and I3 the latter of which is associated with a shovel-likehorizontal cutter I5. The cutters ll, l2 and I3 serve to strip 01f coalleft outstanding above and below the intermediate furrow. The floorcutter l5 strips off and lifts coal from the floor C and deflects itsidewise to an appropriate conveyor (not shown). The machine has asimilar head and cutters at the opposite end, these parts not beingshown.

In Fig. 2, D indicates the face of the seam B from which coal has to bestripped along the plane A when the machine hauls itself along the face.

The cutter head I4 is connected at l 6 to a central chassis I! providedwith a base plate l8 formed like a skid for movement over the mine floorC.

The haulage power is derived from a haulage unit. In the example thisunit comprises an assembly of three superposed hydraulic cylinders l9,the double-acting rams of which are indicated by 20. These ramsareconnected, as at 2|, to the chassis H. The cylinders l9 form the movablecomponent of the hydraulic unit, and they are incorporated in a body 22(Fig. 3) which is slidable between guides 23 on thechassis. Pis

ton valves controlling the supply of hydraulic liquid to the cylinders Hare indicated by The other components of the hydraulic system,comprising a motor-driven pump, a reservoir for the liquid, conduitsbetween the various components and appropriate valves, may be ofconventional form and therefore are not shown. They are all incorporatedin or mounted on the chassis H.

The haulage rope is indicated by- 25. It is secured at both ends toanchorages in the mine.

The haulage assembly comprises a pair of grippers, both shown in Figs. lan 2, thework ng. gripper being indicated generally" by E- and the stopgripper by F in these two views. Each of the two grippers comprises apairof: upper: and? lower rope-gripping jaws 2B and 21 which grip; therope 25 under the powerful action of toggle devices if the gripper tendsto move in on'e'direction, namely towards theleft, in relation to thehaulage rope and which automatically free the rope if the gripper movesin theother' direction; In the example, each gripper reversible, and sothe toggle devices are movable-by a hand lever 23 or 29 into one orother of two settings; cor"-= responding to the respective directions oftravel of the machine. The toggle devices'of each grip per-are providedas toggles 30" that are supported by wedge devices 3!- which aredisplaceable to cfiectcontrol of the lower'jaiw 21, including" with--drawal' of that jaw into-an inoperative" position in which the rope 25isremovable from the gripper-1 y In the'example', each gripper includesa casing able cover 34fitting against the bo'dyof. the'cass ing; Thecover 34" is shown moved into open position in Fig; 8. The cover isattached at its upper side to pins; 35* (one only of these pins isshown) on the casing top: 'rheendsse of the lower'jawof each ripper; inthe. example; is. a

single member supported by a seriesor'rourfto gles 30; The upper aw, inthe example; coinprises a train offourn'ie'inbers respectivelyfbeal ingagainst a series of four cams 38 ('see Fig. 4)'. It is byoperation ofthese toggles. 30 and cams as that the jaws 2-6, 21. are constrained toigrip" the rope 25" and are permitted to' relieve. their grip. Moreover,by fulldisplacenientof the toggles 30, namely displacement into. thereclining positioniii whichcne of'them is shownin Fig. 5,. the lower'jaw 2"Ican be lowered into an inopera-- tive position permitting the rope25 to be removed from the casing or to be entered therein. by way of theslots 31. The. toggles 3n and the'cams38} of each gripper are operatedby the hand-lever 28 or 29, which is movable from a neutral position(Fig; 4) into either of twooperativepositions, described hereinafter,corresponding respectivelyv to the oppositedirection's of relativemovement between the-gripper and the rope;

The singlememcer of which the'lower jaw of each gripper is composedrests upon the" toggles 3D and is acted uponat opposite ends by centralising'springs w re-acting againstthe ends 36" of the casing.Thetoggles aresupportedby' a" 76 horizontal support bar 40 which isseated upon a wedge bar 4i incorporating the previously mentioned wedgedevices 3|. The adjacent surfaces of the support bar and wedge devicesare of wave form, the one surface mating with the other. Each wave-vfcrhiation has flat inclined sides 42 (see Fig. 5) and a fiat summit 43and the interwave troughs have flat bottoms 44. The arrangement is suchthat when relative longitudinal movement: between the bars 40 and 4|takes place, the support bar it changes the angularity of the toggles30. v v

Each toggle; asFig. 6 shows, is formed with arcuat'e surfaces 45. Thesesurfaces seat in mating seats 46 in me jaw 21 above and the support bar46* below. Each toggle consists of two segmerits 41 each somewhat largerthan a semicircle, and the segments are laterally offset from oneanother, each merging integrally into the other at a line 43 (Fig. 6)which is part of a common chord defining both segments. Thetogg'letherefore presents two flats 9 at oppositeends of the chord. The toggleis in efiect a link, the centres 5%) (represented by crossing lines inFigs. 6 and 7) of the segments being the centres of the joints betweenthe link and the jaw 2! above and the support bar 40 below. The jaw andthe support bar have arcuateiormations all, additional to the seats 46,in which the toggles nest when by appropriate displacement of thesupport bar arid wedgejbar' the toggles" adopt a reclining position(Fi'gL-S)". Each toggle, when in neutral position (Fig, 4) has itscentres in yerti'cal alignment. When the toggle is in either operativeposition, hereinafter described, the lineof centres is inclined to onemother side of vertical. When the" toggle is in the" reclining position(Fig. 5) its" lineof centres is inclined upwardly to horizontal.

The suspect bar or, each gripper is movable endwise by the'hand' lever28 or 29 to a short extent defined by adjustable limit stops 52cooperating with its opposite ends. These stops are pins screwed throughbrackets on the casingv 33. Each of the hand levers28 and 29isfloating', being pivotally, connected to adjacent ends orboth' thesupport bar scandthewedge bar 41.

The arrangement is such" that, when the hand lever" is movedtcone ofthdthefside or neutral, it" moves the support ar" 40f against one 01'other Of' the lil'niti steps 52; and thereafter, with. the en agedlifiiit Stiip as fulcrum, the 1eve'r1 moves the wedgepar 41 ungnuamanybelow the. support bar; thus raising thesupport bar andtOg- 1 gles bythe wedge action and bringihgthellower jaw 21 into operative.relationship with the rope 25L The train of membersof which the upperjaw 26- of each gripper. is composedares'upported by intermediate.thrust pins 54- (Fig. 4). which are slida'blein lugs 55 on the casingand which permitverticali movement of the jaw members 26. The. outermembers? of the train are pressed inwards by'cehtrali'sirig'springs 56reacting against adjustable screws 51 in thecasingTends 35. Each jawmember 25 (ac-operates with one of the previously" mentioned cams 38.pivotally mountedin the top off the casing 33L The pivotal mountingconsists ofa large segment 59 on the cam and a mating seat 6flinthecasing top. The cams are associated with a carii' bar Bl which is slidablelengthwise in the casing' 33, the cam bar having a pin-and-slotconnection with each cam. Each connection con"- sists" of a? pin" 62" onthe cam and" centrau'sin Each cam. is

springs 63 between .it and the ends of the associated slot 64 in the cambar. The cam bar is pivotally connected at one end by a pin 65 to thetop of an approximately vertical lever 68 which is fulcrumed between itsends, at 67, to a bracket 68 on the casing 33 and is pivotally connectedat the bottom by a pin 69 to the support bar 48. The arrangementtherefore is such that, when the hand lever 28 or 29 is moved aspreviously described, the cam bar is forced to move lengthwise and urgesthe cams 38 to pivot in their pivotal mountings. Each cam has an arcuateeccentric cam surface 1!! which cooperates with a surface ll of somewhatgreater radius formed in the associated jaw member 26. The cam action istherefore such that, when the cam bar 5| is moved in one or otherdirection, the cams urge the associated jaw members to exert an initialgrip on the rope '25.

Consider the working gripper E as used when the machine is set to workfrom left to right as viewed in Figs. 1', 2 and 4. This gripper ismounted on the slidable body 22 in which the hydraulic cylinders I9 areincorporated. The hand lever 28 of the working gripper must; be pulledtowards the right of neutral. This action pulls the support bar 40 toits righthand limit and therefore tilts the toggles 30 so that theirlower portions lie towards the right, as shown in Fig. 1. When thetoggles are so positioned, and the hydraulic unit I9, 23 is operated toextend itself, the toggles 3B tend to straightenthat is, tend to turntowards their vertical position-and thus tighten their grip upon therope 25. Accordingly, the working gripper E serves temporarily as anabutment against which the hydraulic unit reacts as it pushes themachine forwards to perform a working stroke.

That is to say, by virtue of the toggle action, when the gripper engagesthe rope against movement in one direction (namely movement of thegripper E towards the left) the initial grip is tightened, the tightnessof the final grip being proportional to the force applied by the unit;that is to say, the greater the force the tighter the final grip.

On the other hand, if the force is applied in the other direction, theaction of the toggles is such that relative movement between the ropeand the gripper is permitted. In short, the gripper acts as a one-waylock or clutch on the rope. Thus, when the hydraulic unit I9, 29 isoperated to contract, the working gripper E releases its grip on therope and is pulled forwards towards the right in readiness to take a newgrip on the rope preparatory to the next advance of the machine.

The stop gripper F, although similar constructionally to the gripper E,is arranged in the example to the opposite hand and instead of beingslidable on the machine chassis H is bolted rigidly to a bracket 12thereon (Fig. 2). Therefore, the hand lever 29 is pushed towards theright in order to set its toggles at the same inclination as those ofthe gripper E. When the gripper E is being pulled forwards by thecontracting hydraulic unit I9, 20, the gripper F grips the rope 29 andholds it taut. When the gripper E grips the rope during the advance ofthe machine, the gripper F frees itself from the rope and advances withthe machine.

The hand lever of each gripper may, if desired, be provided with meanswhereby it is locked in one or other of its operative positions, andprovision may be made for adjustment of these positions, for instance inorder that the working positions of thesupport bar 48 can be regulatedto compensate for wear of the parts. In order that the rope 25 can beremoved from or entered intothe gripper, the cover 34 is moved from thebody of the casing 33 (Fig. 8) following which the wedge bar 4| andsupport bar 4i] are displaced longitudinally to bring the toggles 30into their reclining position (Fig. 5). In'thisposition, the upper jaw28 is clearly below the'rope so that the rope can be moved laterallythrough the slots 31 provided for the purpose in the end plates 36. I

"In the example, the haulage assembly is mounted on a mining machine asa working part thereof and 'moveswith the machine along a stationaryrope.

In an alternative arrangement, the haulage assembly is' arranged in astationary location on the mine floor and the end of the haulage rope isattached to the machine, the arrangement being such that the power unitreciprocates the Working gripper so that it pulls in the rope strokeafter stroke through the stop gripper, which remains stationary. v

In another alternative arrangement, a reciprocating power unitisarranged in a stationary location in the mine, a single haulage-ropegripper is provided on the machine, and a rope-returning device (say aspring anchorage) is also arranged in a stationary location in the mine.The power unit pulls the rope in one direction, thus giving it a workingstroke, and the ropereturning device keeps the rope taut and gives itthe return stroke. During each working stroke of the rope, the grippergrips it and advances the machine. During each return stroke of therope, the gripper releases its hold and remains stationary, taking afresh grip at the beginning of each successive working stroke.

I claim:

1. A gripper for mining machine haulage apparatus including means forefiecting relative movement between the gripper and a haulage rope, thesaid gripper comprising a movable jaw to grip the rope, an adjustablesupport, toggle means interposed between said support and said jaw,means for moving said support both to-andfrom said jaw and alsolengthwise of the jaw between alternative positions at opposite sides ofa neutral position, the toggle means in said alternative positions beingset at mutually opposite inclinations to the jaw, so that the togglemeans will constrain the jaw to exercise its grip on the rope in eitherof two propulsion directions but will free the jaw in the returndirection.

2. A gripper according to claim 1 in which the means for moving thesupport comprises a member formed with a wave-like series of inclinedfaces arranged in two sets inclined in mutually opposite directions andsaid support is formed to engage co-operatively with said faces, and ahand lever for moving said support relative to said member in eitherdirection through the neutral position to the alternative positions ineach of which said faces displace the support towards the jaw.

3. A gripper according to claim 1 in which the toggle means include atoggle both ends whereof are arcuate and in which said jaw and saidsupport respectively have arcuate seats in which said ends are turnablymounted, so that the toggle is turnable between an upright position anda reclining position.

4. A gripper for mining machine haulage ap- 7 para-tus including means;for effecting relative movement between the gripper and-"ahaulage rope;the said gripper com-prising: first amtsec- 0nd co-opera-ting jaws togrip the rope; anadjustable first supporttoggle means interposed betweensaid support and said first jaw; anaxijustable second support, cam meansinterposed between said second support and said 'second jaw. means formoving both of saidsupports lengthwise of the jaws and also for movingsaid first support to-or-from said first jaw, said supports beingmovable between alternative positions at opposite sides of a neutralposition; the toggle means in said alternative positions being set atmutually opposite. inclinations: to the first" jaw.

and said cam means act-wed'gewi'se on 'said seeond jaw so that both jawswill exercise; theirs-grip on the rope in either of two directionsbut-will free the rope in the return direction;

5. A gripper according to claim a inwhich the means for moving the'firstsupport comprises a member formed' with awave-likeseries; of-inclinedfaces arranged in two sets inclined in mutually opposite directions andsaid support is formed to engage co-operatively= with said faces; andahand lever for moving" said first and second supports lengthwise ineither direction through the neutral position. to the alternativepositions ire each of which said faces displace the first supporttowards the first jaw and the togglemeans and cam meanshold thefirst andsecond jaws respectively in lope-engaging"positions;

6. A gripper according to claim 4 in which the cam means include a. campivotally mounted in the second support andhaving an arcuate face whichdepresses the second jaw when the second support isdisplaced in eitherdirection from the neutral position;

7-; A gripper according to claim 4 in which the cam means include-a earnhaving an arcuate portion turnabl'ymounted in an arcuate seat in thesecond support.

JOHN CONNEL SPROUL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references. are oi record in the

